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AGREEMENT. THESE CONCERNS HAVE ALSO BEEN FULLY DOCUMENTED IN THE
REPORT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
6. WE HAVE HAD A FULL DISCUSSION OF THESE MATTERS. FOR THE MOST
PART, THEY DO NOT DIRECTLY CONCERN THE BILL. IT IS NOT THEREFORE NECESSARY TO GO OVER THIS GROUND AGAIN IN TODAY'S DEBATE. BUT I
CAN ASSURE THE HOUSE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE CONCERNS RAISED
IN THIS HOUSE AND IN HONG KONG FIRMLY IN VIEW. WE SHALL CONTINUE
TO BEAR THEM IN MIND IN OUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE,
PARTICULARLY IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.
7. A NUMBER OF HON MEMBERS SUGGESTED DURING THE DEBATE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG TO THE HOUSE
AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE A DEBATE ON IT. I ENTIRELY ACCEPT THAT
THE HOUSE WILL WISH TO BE INFORMED ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG
KONG FULLY AND SPEEDILY WHEN THEY OCCUR.
8. I ASSURE HON MEMBERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE CARE TO
REPORT TO THE HOUSE WHENEVER THERE IS ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT TO
REPORT. THERE IS NO RELUCTANCE ON OUR PART. BUT I FRANKLY DOUBT
THE VALUE OF INSTITUTIONALISING AN ANNUAL REPORT AND DEBATE. IT
COULD WELL HAVE THE UNINTENDED EFFECT THAT IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
WERE NOT PROPERLY DEBATED AS AND WHEN THEY OCCURRED. THIS IS NOT
WHAT WE WANT.
9. SINCE OUR LAST DEBATE MY RT HON FRIEND THE PRIME MINISTER AND
I HAVE, AS I HAVE SAID, VISITED PEKING FOR THE SIGNATURE OF THE
AGREEMENT AND WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE WITH CHINESE LEADERS A NUMBER
OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE TOUCHED ON IN THAT DEBATE THE HOUSE
WILL NOT EXPECT ME TO GO INTO DETAILS OF OUR DISCUSSIONS, BUT
CHINESE LEADERS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL GAVE US SOLEMN ASSURANCES OF
CHINA'S COMMITMENT TO FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT AND OF
THEIR INTENTION TO CONSULT HONG KONG OPINION ON THE DRAFTING OF
THE BASIC LAW ON A WIDE BASIS.
10.FOLLOWING SIGNATURE, WE AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BOTH HAVE
TO SATISFY OUR RESPECTIVE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO
RATIFY THE AGREEMENT. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE BILL BEFORE US
TODAY IS TO ENABLE HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO RATIFY THE
AGREEMENT.
11. THE BILL ITSELF PROVIDES FOR THE TERMINATION OF BRITISH
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